September 23, 2010

September 23/ Clays Pots

This is a photo of the window of a shop in La Conner, WA named THE STALL. Aside from me in the background, the important element are the clay pots from Columbia. These pots are not easy to find.

I am recently enamored of the cookbook, MEDITERRANIAN CLAY POT COOKING, by Paula Wolfert. I love to hold the book, and I take it to bed as a novel. The cooking of this book is really for stay at home people. It is grandmother cooking. It is embarrassingly easy cooking. For example, something is covered for two hours and then should be uncovered for an hour. Or you need to add the next ingredient. There is a depth of flavor that relatively new cooks strive for in modern ways, for example, with herbs or brines. This weekend with company I made pork shoulder, with garlic, sage leaves inside, and smothered with mustard and tomatoes. Although it took four hours, the pork coming to room tempature, and three hours in the oven, and I did really nothing.

The key here is the pan and about a half of the recipes in the book should be cooked in a pot similar to the one on the lower left corner. It is the clay that the makes the recipes work. These pots, if care is taken, are able to go on the top of the stove. If you can find the real pots which come from all over South America are not necessarily expensive. One place to order is the Spanish Table. I will say that these pots are fragile. Protect your baby.

Well this just looks delicious, magnificent!!!! I use a tajine a great deal. wonder if the recipes would work in it. However the tall lid makes it a challenge for the oven. Love ethnic foods from all over the world. I will check into purchasing..then go to bed with the book, just like you. LOL

There is only you to give due credit tooooooo, for my compulsive behavior. I went to the website and ordered one clay pot and one book by Wolfert! Wait till my husband sees that pan sitting next to my tajine on the stove top! You know like a piece of sculpture.
SOOOOO since I fell to your sales ability...which recipes do you like to mess around with? Will let you know what I think of this little side adventure!